Session-order Sensitivity of Temporal Summation and Offset Analgesia in a Randomised Crossover Capsaicin Model of Secondary Hyperalgesia

This was a single-site, two-period, vehicle-controlled, allocation- and formulation-blinded, randomised crossover study conducted at the Department of Human Health Science, University of Guelph, Canada. Sixteen healthy adult volunteers (10 female, 6 male; mean age 21.9 years) were recruited between May 2024 and April 2025. Participants were randomised in a 1:1 intended allocation to one of two sequences: capsaicin-first then vehicle (Sequence A-to-B) or vehicle-first then capsaicin (Sequence B-to-A); actual allocation was 6:10. The allocation sequence was computer-generated by a research assistant not involved in outcome collection. Sessions were separated by a minimum 1-week washout. Topical 0.075% capsaicin cream (Zostrix; Hi-Tech Pharmacal) was applied as a 5 mL dose to a 5 x 10 cm target area on the lateral elbow and to bilateral C5-C6 cervicothoracic dermatomes. The comparator was an equivalent 5 mL volume of inert vehicle lotion (Lubriderm; Johnson & Johnson) applied identically; creams were matched for colour and texture and prepared by a research assistant in unlabelled containers. Mechanical temporal summation (Sumscore; 256 mN pinprick, 16 stimuli at 1 Hz) and thermal offset analgesia (OA; 32-46°C stepped-stimulus protocol with three thermal hold durations of 5, 10, and 15 s) were assessed at baseline and at 10, 20, 30, and 40 min post-intervention. Continuous pain ratings during thermal stimulation were captured via CoVAS. Primary outcomes (Sumscore and the duration-averaged baseline-normalised OffA) were analysed using REML linear mixed-effects models with fixed effects for Intervention, Time, Intervention x Time, Period, and Sequence, with random intercepts for Participant; sex was included as a pre-specified covariate. Within-session temporal stability was assessed using ICC(2,1). A combined Measure x Intervention x Period model tested for differential design-sensitivity between TS and OffA. The study was approved by the University of Guelph Research Ethics Board (REB #19-06-003).